Boral, union deadlocked over EA

Photo: Boral

Roughly 100 workers could be axed by construction material firm Boral over an ongoing bargaining dispute between the company and the CFMEU.

A deadlock has been reached between Boral and the union over an agreement covering the company’s NSW-based De Martin & Gasparini subsidiary.

Boral says it wants the agreement changed so employees can choose their own unions, and adjust their rostered days off. The company says the changes must be made to comply with the new Australian Building and Construction Commission laws.

Boral needs to comply with the laws to have any chance when bidding for federal government work.

“No one wants to see employees made redundant but in this case, this action may be the only way to ensure that DMG’s failure to comply with the Code does not prevent the entire Boral Group from being able to tender for Commonwealth-funded building work from September 1,” Boral’s Ross Harper was quoted as saying via SBS on Monday.

The union has hit back, saying Boral has misinterpreted the laws, and is “using Turnbull’s building code to strip [workers’] conditions”.

“The current EBA provides for some genuine valuable work/life balance for our members who because of the nature of building and construction work 6 days/week at least and required to do on average 10-12 hours/day,” the union write.

“Most of our members do not see their families, partners and kids during ordinary hours and most don’t get to do normal family things like kids’ sport on the weekend.

“The CFMEU congratulates our staunch members at De Martin & Gasparini who withstood the pressure from Boral to amend their enterprise agreement.”